Ministry fund-raiser will feature prayer, music
Organization works
i to show inmates a
different path
? BY T KEVIN WALKER
T THE CHRONICLE
?
?
' It was the best and worst of
times for Alvin Hayes when he
was in prison.
His stint behind bars was bit
ter because it meant a more than
two-year separation from his
' wife. Melody, and the couple's
; four children. It was sweet
because
Hayes
says he
found and
accepted
Jesus
Christ and
made con
nections
he feels
will last a
Stilwell lifetime
through
the Forsyth Jail and Prison Min
istries.
"There were so many bless
ings that 1 received," said Hayes,
who left the minimal security
prison off of Cherry Street two
years ago and now lives with his
family in Elkin.
For years, the Forsyth Jail and
Prison Ministries has worked
inside of the Cherry Street
prison, the Forsyth County Deten
tion Center and the county's
youth lockup to light a path for
inmates who choose to follow it.
"We try to be visible and let
them come to us," said Rodney
Stilwell, the ministries' senior
chaplain.
For Hayes, the myriad servic
es the ministries offer provided
him with a positive, spiritual out
let. He was active in a program
run by the ministries that pre
pares inmates to make the transi
tion to freedom and a regular at
Bible studies and religious seme
mes, often sitting side by side with
non-inmates from churches
throughout the county. He even
sang in the prison, even though,
he admits, his vocals aren't stellar.
Thinking back to some of those
times, brings tears to Hayes' eyes.
"There were little old ladies
telling a country boy like me that,
'Son, God loves you," said
Photo by Kevin Walker
Alvin and M0lody Hayes talk to Chaplain Martin Pickett Sunday at the Cherry Street prison chapel .
Hayes, whose demon was drugs
for many yean. Hayes was espe
cially touched when a chaplain
and volunteer went to visit his
dying father on his behalf (Hayes
was unable to get clearance at the
time to leave the prison).
Fittingly, Forsyth Jail and
Prison Ministries has titled its
annual fund-raiser Hope on the
Inside. Beginning Friday, the
ministries will host a series of
events aimed at not only raising
much-needed money, but also
increasing public awareness of
the ministries' work and showing
those behind bars that there is
another way. The centerpiece of
the slate of events will be a con
cert Sunday at Wait Chapel by
five-time Grammy winner Lar
nelle Harris. The gospel star will
give a separate concert on Satur
day for the inmates at the Cherry
Street prison.
Tomorrow, a multiracial
group of ex-offenders, church
volunteers and others plan to sur
round the Forsyth County Deten
tion Center for a massive prayer
circle. One of the facets of the
ministries that Stilwell is most
proud of is the fact that it brings
together volunteers from black,
white and Hispanic congregations
throughout the county. Christians
who would not normally interact,
come together for the ministries'
cause, the chaplain said.
The Forsyth Jail and Prison
Ministries is not overtly political,
but some issues can't be avoided
when it comes to the criminal jus
tice system, Stilwell said. Race is
one of those issues. The vast
majority of those behind bars at
all of the facilities in which the
ministries work are African
American. It is a reality that the
organization wants to change.
"We need more Bibles and
less bars," Stilwell said. "Our
goal in the Christian community
is to put that jail out of business
and turn it into a library."
Forsyth Jail and Prison Min
istries has faith that that is possi
ble if inmates embrace the power
of Christ as Hayes did.
"When God's love changes
someone's heart, we don't have to
worry about putting handcuffs on
Larnelle Harris
someone's hands," Stilwell said.
But the ministries' programs
and services can't sustain them
selves on faith alone. The organi
zation receives no public money.
Donations from churches, foun
dations, and individuals are the
organization's lifeblood.The goal
is to raise $50j000, which will
cover just a part of the organiza
tion's operating costs.
Hayes has shared his experi
ences at past concert fund-raisers
held by Forsyth Jail and Prison
Ministries. Hayes says he is a
changed man thanks in large part
to the work of the ministries.
"1 just have to keep putting
God first," Hayes said.
But for every Alvin Hayes,
there are 10 others behind bans
who avoid the prison chapel like a
dentist's office. But the hard work
of the ministries is never in vain,
said Chaplain Martin Pickett, who
works primarily at the Forsyth
County Detention Center.
"If we just reach one person , it
is worth it," Pickett said, "because
we have to break this cycle. It is
vicious."
The public is welcome to join
the jail prayer circle on Friday,
starting at around 6:15 pm. The
Larnelle Harris concert will be
Sunday at Wait Chape! on the
campus bf Wake Forest Universi
ty at 4 pm. Admission is free
and an offering will be received to
benefit the Forsyth Jail and
Prison Ministries. For further
information, call 759-0063, ext.
35.
$600,000
HUD grant
announced
for WSSU
Federal money will
be used for school's
Atkins CDC
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
WASHINGTON, D.C. -
Sen. Richard Burr announced
last week a $600,000 federal
grant for Winston-Salem
State University (WSSU).
The grant, awarded by the
U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development's
(HUD) Historically Black
Col
leges
and
Univer
s i t i e s
grant
pro
gram,
will
assist
wssu
in revi
talizing
Burr
lis suiruunuing ncignoor
hoods and communities.
"Our historically black
colleges and universities are
institutions of which we can
all be proud," Burr said.
"These funds will help Win
ston-Salem State University
continue its efforts to enrich
the community and assist
local neighborhoods and busi
nesses."
WSSU will use funds to
expand the community devel
opment activities of the
Simon Green Atkins Commu
nity Development Corp.
(SGACDC), an outreach arm
of the university established
in 1998. The SGACDC works
with local businesses arid
civic organizations to bring
affordable housing, business
opportunity and credit coun
seling to Winston-Salem.
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